Perfect for a Winter’s Eve: Butternut Squash Soup

The colder weather of winter is a perfect time for today’s soup course, featuring healthful butternut squash. After peeling the squash, it is an easy soup to make, and our granddaughters love its warmth and taste. The substitution of vegetable stock for chicken broth makes it ideal for vegetarians.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 large chopped onions (mixture of white, Vidalia, yellow, to taste)
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 leek white part only, rinsed and chopped
¼ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
8 cups low-salt, defatted chicken broth, or vegetable stock
4 to 5 lbs butternut squash, peeled, cored and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish
Chopped basil for garnish

Sauté onion, garlic and leek in olive oil in a large stock pot for 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot and squash and sauté for 5 minutes more. Pour in broth or stock, and cook until squash is tender, approximately 1 hour or so. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Purée using a hand or counter-top blender, and serve in individual bowls with cheese and basil garnish. If soup is too thick, add more broth to desired consistency.

Optional: Add one roasted red pepper, cut into strips and then into ½-inch pieces.